


surprise me

by busanboi



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Hyungkyun, M/M, Minor cursing, Slow Burn, bruh idek at this point, english major!hyungwon, enjoy ig, enjoy sarcastic kyun, i rly dont know what this is, slow burn ig bcs hw and ck take FOREVER to meet lmao, tattooist!changkyun, uwu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23859943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/busanboi/pseuds/busanboi
Summary: changkyun works at a tattoo parlor and hyungwon wants to get a tattoo.
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Im Changkyun | I.M
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: first of all, i would like to apologise if there are any grammar mistakes. i haven't written in a long long time :0 i am also sorry since i am not a tattooist, i may get some terms wrong(?) i did do my research but pls tell me if anything is wrong!! thank u <3 i hope this cute au makes you smile cause i certainly had fun writing it :D ((don't mind hair colours and all that stuff lmao i love joob's red hair and minhyuk's brown hair wueedhjhjhdj)))))

Chae Hyungwon was very intelligent. He has never lost his streak in being the Top 3 students of his college. Everyone looked up to him, including his parents. He was everyone's favorite. However, he lacked in socializing and that resulted in him having just a few friends. Lee Minhyuk was one of his only friends he could always count on when in need. Well. What he needed now was a tattoo. 

"Hey Minhyuk do you know where I could get a tattoo?" Hyungwon blurted out. Hyungwon and Minhyuk were in the latter's room, attempting to finish their final assignments (but sadly failing).

"What? A tattoo? You? Chae Hyungwon wants a tattoo?" 

The brunette asked tauntingly. Hyungwon sighed and threw a scrunched up paper ball at Minhyuk. Seeing as Hyungwon was always the grade A student, a goody-two-shoes, him wanting to do a tattoo was totally out of mind. No one would even think Hyungwon could have such thoughts about doing a bizarre thing let alone getting an actual tattoo.

"Yes I am actually being serious here. I've been wanting to get one since like, forever to be very honest with you." Minhyuk shook his head and stared at Hyungwon.

"Wait so, you're not joking? Holy shit! I've been waiting for this moment my entire life, you literally have no idea." 

Hyungwon scoffed. Exaggerating was one of Minhyuk's specialty so Hyungwon didn't let it bother him too much.

"What are you doing?"

Hyungwon asked, tilting his head at his friend quizzically. Minhyuk was lying down on his bed, furiously scrolling through Instagram. When he finally found whatever he was looking for, he let out a huge scream.

"Yes! I found it."

Hyungwon, still oblivious but eager to know what Minhyuk was talking about, sat down beside Minhyuk with a heavy thump. Minhyuk's phone screen was fixed on someone's Instagram page. The profile read "___artistimck". 

"Alright, so the other day I was scrolling through my explore page looking for funny cat videos because I was procrastinating on work as usual when I came across his profile. He's a tattooist and all his designs are sick! Here, check them out."

Minhyuk handed Hyungwon his phone.

Hyungwon scrolled through the artist's Instagram half-heartedly. The designs _were_ sick, he admitted that. He scrolled down some more and stopped at a certain picture. It was a picture of two people with a thumbs up; one of them was a college student (he assumed ) exposing their forearm with a beautiful rose design, the skin still pink around the tattoo area obviously indicating that that was a fresh new tattoo. The other one was holding up a needle connected to a big tattoo machine in the background. Hyungwon assumed that the college student was a customer and the other one was the tattooist. The caption of the picture was "i love my job!"

Hyungwon cringed and chuckled to himself. _How old was this guy?_

"Why are you laughing? What's so funny? Who is making you laugh if it isn't me!" Minhyuk frowned. 

Minhyuk and Hyungwon have been friends since kindergarten. People at school used to always call them twins as they were inseparable. Minhyuk could get a little clingy sometimes but Hyungwon never felt burdened at all. He liked it that Minhyuk was clingy around him; it made him feel like someone actually enjoyed his presence genuinely.

"I guess these designs are okay. Whatever. Don't you think he's a little too young to be a tattoo artist?" Hyungwon gave Minhyuk's phone one last glance. _He is kinda cute._

"Well yeah, he is our age. He might as well be our classmate but I heard that he didn't even graduate at all. Yeah he dropped out of college to fulfill his dreams of owning a tattoo parlour. Let's go check out his place after school tomorrow!"

Hyungwon paused for a while before agreeing to his friend's suggestion.

* * *

"Hey! Wait up!" Hyungwon was walking out of the lecture hall, his brain fried after attending a 3-hour lecture on literature. He groaned when he saw his boisterous friend galloping towards him with a huge grin.

"Did you forget? We're supposed to go together remember?"

"How could I possibly forget about my first tattoo appointment?" Hyungwon answered with complete sarcasm. He suddenly had second thoughts about getting a tattoo now. 

"Do you think that this is a good idea?"

Minhyuk looked at his friend for a good 2 seconds before bursting out in laughter.

"Why? Are you s-s-s-scared? Chae Hyungwon is too CHICKEN to get a tattoo, I already saw this coming."

Hyungwon's eyes darkened and he was fuming with anger; you could practically see smoke coming out of both his ears. Without thinking, Hyungwon sped walked out of his college leaving Minhyuk behind. With his phone already out he began searching where ___artistimck's parlour is. He ignored Minhyuk shouting his name and continued walking away, plugging his earphones in his ears in the process. He was pissed off at Minhyuk for thinking he was scared to get a tattoo. He was tired of everyone thinking they knew everything about him. Well, he was going to change everyone's perception of him.

It turns out that the tattoo parlour he was looking for was only 20 minutes away from his college. _Kkukkung's Tattoo Parlour. Weird name, I wonder what inspired him to name that place._ Despite having second thoughts on getting a tattoo just moments before, now he felt excited. He wasn't sure if it was because of getting a tattoo or... it was because of the artist.

* * *

"Changkyun! Changkyun where the fuck are you?" A red-haired male appeared from behind the curtains; where a certain young male was currently hiding.

"Found you! Were you _hiding_ from me?" The darker haired male called Im Changkyun sighed. 

"Yes Jooheon, I was and now you found me. Congratulations to you? Do you want me to throw confetti at you? Give you a trophy? Yipee?" 

Changkyun stood up then sat on a high stool. Jooheon pulled him off his seat, but to no avail, failed. 

"Dude come ON. I just got us the best seats in the house!"

By seats, Jooheon meant that he got two tickets to watch the newest Trolls movie in 3D. Changkyun shook his head, muttering words like busy and too much work to do.

Jooheon pouted and pleaded; Changkyun usually gave in to his attempts to woo him with his aegyo. It didn't work today. 

"Jooheon, my wingman, my main bitch, you KNOW I would give you the world if I could. Heck, I'd even watch all the Trolls movie with you countless times. On a weekend. It's a workday today, and I'm busy. I got a few customers to attend to and some designs that need tuning up. Find someone else, alright?"

He ruffled Jooheon's red locks in an affectionate way.

Suddenly, the front doorbell chimed. A customer was present.

"See! There's a customer now. Have fun! Go, shoo shoo." Changkyun pushed a grumbling Jooheon out the backdoor so he could go back to work. 

"Yes?"

* * *

Hyungwon was there. At Kkukung's Tattoo Parlour. He was hesitant to go inside. _Oh, what the heck. Let's do this shit._

He walked in. He looked around, scanning the whole place. It was small but cozy, with vintage interior designs. The wallpaper that covered the entire parlour was pitch black and the floors were shiny white tiles, gleaming as the light glinted against them.

"Yes?" A deep voice called out.


	2. end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hyungwon and changkyun finally meet.

Hyungwon was stunned. A dark-haired male was walking towards him, clad in a black dress shirt and leather jeans. He had an eyebrow piercing on top of his left eyebrow, that same eyebrow raised as he looked Hyungwon up and down. 

"Oh, sorry we don't entertain high school students. I'm afraid you'll have to go back home." The male said. 

Hyungwon was outraged. _Highschool student? What did this guy think of him as?_

As the male was walking away, Hyungwon interrupted him.

"Excuse me but I'm not a high school student. I'm a college student and I major in English literature thank you very much." 

Hyungwon scoffed then proceeded to roll his eyes. 

"Ah is that so? Well then, welcome! Come to the back with me." Hyungwon followed.

"By the way, call me Changkyun." Changkyun then disappeared behind a purple velvet curtain.

Changkyun. He liked the sound of that. Hyungwon followed the smaller male behind the velvet curtains. He entered a small room, big enough to fit around five people. In the middle of the room sat a big swivel chair. Next to it was a tattoo machine with bottles of ink and needles neatly arranged on a small table beside it. Seeing the whole room in a tidy state fueled Hyungwon's happiness. He enjoyed seeing neat things. 

"Take a seat and we'll discuss about your tattoo design. So, what do you have in mind right now?" 

Changkyun was holding a pen and paper, waiting for Hyungwon's answer.

In all honesty, Hyungwon didn't even know what he wanted. All he knew was that he wanted a tattoo.

"Uh, well... I haven't even thought of a design. I just wanted a tattoo."

Changkyun furrowed his brows, obviously confused.

"Really? You _just_ wanted a tattoo?" Changkyun looked pissed. 

He put down the pen and paper and looked Hyungwon straight in the eye.

"Do you think that my job is a joke? Do you even know how many customers I get every day ringing up my phone making appointments? You're lucky that today was a slow day or else I wouldn't have had time to tolerate your ass right now. You really came waltzing in here, head empty with no design on your mind thinking 'oh well, I think I'll go get a tattoo!'."

Hyungwon froze. He was completely baffled and didn't really know what to say. 

"I'm.. sorry. I didn't realise that at all before coming here. Maybe I'll just leave. Thank you for your service." Hyungwon got up and started to leave.

Changkyun was furious. He wouldn't let Hyungwon leave, not after he went through all that shit to stop doing other customers' designs and to focus on him? Maybe he should've followed Jooheon to the movie screening. 

"No, sit back down. Don't you dare go anywhere." Hyungwon turned around and saw Changkyun scribbling on a piece of paper.

Hyungwon obediently sat back down and did as Changkyun told him to do. 

Changkyun let out a huge sigh. "So, let's start again. Do you have anything in mind?"

Hyungwon thought for a while before getting the best idea ever. 

"Surprise me." 

Changkyun blinked repeatedly. He's always so used to following his clients' designs, occasionally pitching in a few ideas of his own. But never to design a client's tattoo.

"Are you sure?"

Hyungwon nodded firmly. "This is going to be my first tattoo. Since you're skilled and more experienced than me, I trust you with my whole heart."

Changkyun gulped and tried to process his last sentence. 

"Alright then. Go wait on the swivel chair and I'll get back to you as fast as I can."

Hyungwon didn't hesitate and relaxed in the chair, a little nervous but the adrenaline rushing in him was more powerful. 

Changkyun was excited too, he had many ideas as thoughts were running inside his head. He was determined to give this man a first tattoo to remember.

"By the way, I never got your name."

"It's Hyungwon. Chae Hyungwon."

Changkyun smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, that name already embedded in the back of his head.

Hyungwon waited patiently in the big chair. He took out his phone which has been on silent for the past hour.

26 missed calls from Minhyuk. He shook his head, already creating an apology for his friend. Yeah the guy could get annoying but Hyungwon loved Minhyuk with his whole heart and couldn't bear to be on bad terms for so long. 

"I'm done! Okay be prepared for the tattoo of a lifetime."

"That.... was really fast. I respect you a lot." 

Changkyun beamed and thanked Hyungwon. He was happy to be complimented on his work. He positioned himself on a stool and started prepping all the instruments and tools he needed to use. Changkyun felt weird. He was very happy to be doing Hyungwon's tattoo and he somehow felt honoured to be the one who did his first tattoo. This feeling was new to him. 

"This is gonna sting a little bit but I promise you that it'll be over before you know it. It is so worth it, wait til you see the result."

Hyungwon nodded but in a feeble way this time. He felt the sharp needle injected into the skin just a little bit above his wrist and gasped. He decided to create small talk to distract himself from the pain.

"I saw some of your designs on your Instagram page. I have to say, you're really good."

Changkyun chuckled. "I'm so glad you think so. I didn't go through 2 years of practice to make my work look like shit!"

"2 years? That's so fast. I mean, I'm not the expert here but I thought it took more than 2 years to become a qualified tattooist?"

"Ah yes, it actually does. Not to brag or anything, I've been working with an established tattooist during those 2 years and they said that I'm a natural. Practically born with talent. I wasn't doing too well in school so I dropped out altogether. I'm focusing on making my name known in the tattoo industry." Changkyun blushed. 

"I overshared didn't I? I'm so sorry, please ignore me I'm just rambling."

"No! I like listening to people talk. I especially enjoyed your story. I wish I was like you."

Changkyun cocked his head to one side. "Like me? What's wrong with being like you?"

"Well... I've lived a pretty boring life my whole life. Not to brag too but I'm one of the top students in my college. Everyone kinda looks up to me and I'm totally okay with that. It's just so frustrating sometimes and people think I've only got the brains. I want to be good at other things too. I want people to acknowledge me for who I am. Not my brains."

Changkyun listened in awe, nodding at the right times. He was genuinely intrigued and surprisingly wanted to know more. 

"Hey. Don't be like that. You're really lucky you _have_ a brain that is actually useful. In case anyone hasn't told you this yet but.. I'm proud of you and where you are now. I know we just met but I personally think that you can go really far if you aim well enough. You'll be known and respected for who you really are. Chae Hyungwon.

Hyungwon stared at this man. This beautiful talented man who actually listened to him for once. And acknowledged him for who he was. He opened his mouth to say something when Changkyun interrupted.

"Aaaand we are done! See, I told you it wasn't that bad."

"Wait, it's over?" Hyungwon was sad that it was over. His sadness soon dissolved into thin air when he saw the tattoo. It was an emoticon that said, ":):". 

"Simple enough to be your first tattoo eh?"

"Why?" Hyungwon asked.

Changkyun was worried Hyungwon didn't like it and panicked. Hyungwon saw the look on his face and laughed, reassuring him it was okay.

"No, I meant why did you choose this design?"

"Oh. Well. Um. I really like that emoticon. It's like having two emotions at once; where you don't know if you're happy or sad. That's what life is like, I think."

Changkyun shyly continued. "And uh, I have the same one on my wrist too." He revealed his wrist and sure enough, the same emoticon was tattooed there.

"This is the best tattoo ever. Thank you so much. I love it."

Hyungwon couldn't stop staring at it. He was happy he made this decision.

"Anytime. Here I'll give you my card in case you want any more tattoos."

Hyungwon took the card and skimmed through it. _I got a nice ass tattoo from a nice ass man AND his number? 1 point for me._

"I'll know who to call if I need another one!"

They both smiled at each other in a way one would think that these two are in love. 

"So what next? Piercings?"

Hyungwon punched Changkyun in the arm at his witty comment and the two of them just chatted away until it was closing time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry i just really needed to let this out!@!! its like 3 am here baaaah sorry if it sucks, i've just started writing and now im practicing a lot!!! thank u for reading and congratulations to u if u made it this far!!  
> \- busanboi


End file.
